The Long Beach Jazz & Blues Scene
Of all musical genres, West Coast hip hop of the ’90s is tied to Long Beach culture, made popular by Snoop Dogg, Warren G, and others who brought the LBC to the mainstream. However, jazz and blues maintain deep roots in Long Beach, with annual jazz festivals and many local venues where you can hear both seasoned and up-and-coming jazz musicians. Long Beach is also home to the nation’s top jazz radio station broadcasting daily out of its headquarters on the campus of Cal State Long Beach.
Roscoe's Jazz Lounge
Roscoe’s Jazz Lounge (730 E. Broadway), an intimate club attached to Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, hosts live performances Thursday through Saturday nights, with additional shows on Sunday afternoons. The cozy red velvet upholstered chairs, low ceiling, and bartenders pouring classic cocktails create an atmosphere that is somewhat of a throwback to a past era and the perfect space to enjoy local talent up close.
FAIRMONT BREAKERS LONG BEACH
With two restaurants, three bars, and a pool, Fairmont Breakers (210 E Ocean Blvd), Long Beach’s first luxury hotel, is a wonderful place for a night out or weekend getaway. Its ground-floor jazz lounge and cocktail bar, Alter Ego, harkens back to the Breakers' legacy as a 1920s-era Hollywood hotspot. Just off the lobby’s bright white marble, visitors enter the club’s dark and moody coziness. Find a romantic table for two near the stunning and dramatic floral mural or sit near the bar to enjoy live music Thursdays through Saturdays from 7 to 10 PM. For information on upcoming performances, visit the hotel’s Eventbrite page.
KJAZZ 88.1 FM
Jazz lovers across the country and around the world know Long Beach, as it is home to the number one, full-time jazz radio station in the U.S. KKJZ 88.1 FM, known as KJAZZ, has been broadcasting from the campus of Cal State Long Beach since 1981 and also streams live on its website, kkjz.org. Funded by donor support, KJAZZ plays great jazz and blues seven days a week and fosters the music community throughout Southern California and beyond with a calendar of events on its website including hosting a series of summer concerts on the Queen Mary.
Uptown Jazz Festival
The City of Long Beach brings live jazz performances by major musical acts to the community through the free Uptown Jazz Festival each year in August at Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave). Save the date for August 1, 2026, when this year’s festival will feature food and beverages available for purchase, a Kids Zone, as well as a variety of vendor and community resource booths and headliner Morris Day and The Time.
New Blues Festival
The Long Beach Blues Society’s New Blues Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2026! Held on August 29 and 30 at ShoreLine Aquatic Park (200 Aquarium Way), the festival features top local and international blues performers. Enjoy live music, food trucks, a vendor village, and views of the Queen Mary across the water at this family friendly event. Past performers have included Buddy Guy, Shemekia Copeland, and Kingfish Ingram. Tickets will be available on the festival website.
Long Beach Jazz Festival
The 36th Long Beach Jazz Festival is set to take place at the F&M Bank Amphitheater for the first time in 2026. Along with a full line-up of top jazz musicians, the festival features a health and wellness pavilion, VIP seating, food, vendors, and art installations. Attendees enjoy two solid days of music in the beautiful outdoor setting of Long Beach’s downtown waterfront. Updated schedule coming soon.
More Venues
There are many places to hear live jazz in Long Beach throughout the year, including the Queen Mary’s Observation Bar (1126 Queens Hwy), which hosts free jazz and blues nights with KJAZZ on Thursdays from 6 to 10 PM. On Tuesdays from 7 to 9 PM, Jug Band Coffee and Tea (2771 E Broadway) hosts Jazz at the Jug, featuring a four-piece combo led by Mike Zilber on the saxophone. During the summer, the Long Beach Municipal Band performs free concerts in parks across Long Beach, with their second set after intermission usually spotlighting the studio band and vocalist performing standards. Jazz on the Bay is a free summer concert series held directly on the sand along Alamitos Bay at 66th Place on the Peninsula. Every summer, residents and visitors enjoy internationally recognized jazz artists in an intimate waterfront setting. For upcoming dates, visit our Events calendar.
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